Stars in the Night
by slibbsninja
Summary: Follow Ziva on her journey to reunite with her family. Timeline: 16x13-17x11 (The timeline's end episode may vary depending on how much information we get about Ziva in the coming episodes through the end of the season) I do not own these characters or Ziva's return arc. I am only providing my own stories to go with what the NCIS writers left to our imagination in Season 16/17.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: While the content in this passage is my of my own creation, I do not own these lovely characters. All rights to the characters and anything else you recognize from your TV screen go to the writers and production team of NCIS.

**Chapter 1**

Ziva dug through her drawers, searching frantically for an ancient, dusty box. She could have sworn she stashed it in her cabinet, behind the more recent additions to her small space. She received a call from Odette earlier in the day saying there had been NCIS agents in her home. She needed to find out how much they had discovered about her. The agents had found her journals dating all the way back to her first year on the team.

The only book missing was from 2010, the summer she spent captive in Somalia. Her heart ached for the pain it would cause them to read the entry she had written upon her return. The pages were likely tear-stained with the emotions she had poured our while etching her experiences onto the paper.

They had also taken the weapon she kept hidden under her sofa. Odette regretfully informed Ziva of this as she arrived, handing over a new gun for temporary use.

Lost in her thoughts, Ziva continued rifling through her cabinets and drawers to look for her box.

"Why can't I remember where I put the damned thing?" she muttered aloud.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door. Ziva froze, instinctively reaching for the weapon at her hip.

"It's Odette," called a voice from outside.

Ziva relaxed, releasing her grip on the gun. She carefully picked her way through the mess she had made in her search and opened the door to greet her friend.

"Hello, dear! I thought you might want this back," Odette said, holding out a small box— the very same one Ziva had been seeking. "I didn't think you would have wanted the agents to find these. I took them out as soon as the first one left, before all the others arrived."

Ziva smiled warmly. "Thank you, Odette," she took the box in her hands, gently brushing her thumb over the inscription on the top. "None of my former co-workers know I survived the attack. This is not the right way for them to find out."

Odette nodded knowingly. "You want to be able to tell them on your own... When the time is right."

"If the time is ever right," Ziva answered with a sigh. "Thank you again, Odette, for keeping these safe. I was frantic with worry looking for them!"

"I can see that," Odette laughed, motioning to the clutter inside.

"I was desperate," Ziva smiled sheepishly. "I'll need to get that cleaned up before they return," she paused, worry across her face. "Do you think they will return?"

Odette smiled. "I can't speak for the whole team, but the young one— Agent Bishop, was here hours before the rest of them. She had a fire and energy about her that reminded me quite a bit of you, my dear. She practically talked my ear off trying to get information out of me."

"Information about what?"

"About you, dear. She's persistent, I'll give her that. I can't foresee anything keeping her away."

"If Agent Bishop knows what's best for her, she'll stay out of this mess. I don't need to put more people in danger."

"I think it may take more than a premonition like that to deter her," Odette responded.

"We shall see," Ziva murmured darkly. "I should take care of this mess," she broke off the conversation, turning back to the scattered journals behind her.

"Do you need anything else while I'm here?" Odette asked.

"I'm fine, but thank you for offering. You've already done so much," Ziva turned back and gave the other woman a quick hug before closing her door.

She glanced down at the black box in her hands. The engraving on the lid read "זיכרונות" in Hebrew. "Memories," Ziva murmured.

She undid the latch and opened the box, exposing its contents. On the top of the pile was a photo of her daughter, Tali. It was taken at her school when she was three years old. That was the last time Ziva had dared get close enough to see her. Other photos were underneath, including one of Tony and Tali seated on the windowsill of a hotel in Cairo. Following that was a photo of all three of them, taken just minutes before she needed to go into hiding once again. She was so very thankful for Odette's wit and quick thinking. If anyone on her team had found these pictures, they would have discovered she was alive, thus putting themselves in danger as well as her family. She could not let that happen.

Ziva had no idea how much time she had before the team would come back. That's if they come back at all, she thought bitterly. They hadn't come looking for her before. Why would they come back now?

Despite her swirling thoughts, she knew she needed to reorganize her cabinet soon. Carefully sorting each journal chronologically took much longer than anticipated. It was nearly dark by the time she was finished. Tossing the box of pictures into her bag, she put on her coat and disappeared into the twilight air.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: While the content in this passage is my of my own creation, I do not own these lovely characters. All rights to the characters and anything else you recognize from your TV screen go to the writers and production team of NCIS.

**Chapter 2**

Ziva sat in Odette's living room, listening carefully as she filled her in on the case that her former team was working.

"They've found the little girl, but her mother is still missing. They had to take one of your journals. Said there was important information about the case in there," Odette finished.

"This case was the first solo case I worked as a Probational Agent at NCIS," Ziva explained. "When Morgan Burke never showed up for her first day of duty in the Navy, we had to hand the case over to the Sheriff, but I kept searching. As far as I was concerned, she was still Navy. It was our jurisdiction! Gibbs knew, of course, and he warned me not to let it get personal. How could I not? If something horrible had happened to this poor woman, I would have taken all the blame," she paused, collecting her thoughts. "When it was reported that her car had driven off a cliff and her charred remains were all that was left, it was deemed a suicide and I had to stop searching."

"But now she's alive," Odette responded carefully, "and you regret not having found her ten years ago."

"Of course I regret it!" Ziva cried. "But Gibbs ordered me to stop my search. I gave up on her..." she trailed off, "Like my team gave up on me when they couldn't find _my_ charred remains."

"No body, no crime."

"When they solve this case, mark my birds... I will—"

"Words, dear. The saying is 'mark my words'," Odette smiled, emphasizing the last phrase.

"Well, when I find out who did this to Morgan, I will find him and make him regret everything he's ever done!"

"Be careful, Ms. David. You never know who you're up against."

"I should get going," Ziva checked the time on the wall clock. "It's about time the agents are arriving to work. I don't want to be here if they come back."

"Stay safe out there, Ms. David," Odette smiled warmly, walking her to the door.

"I've made it this far. Let's hope I can keep going," Ziva answered, walking briskly out the back of the house. She let herself out the back gate and headed down the alley.

Ziva's phone vibrated in her pocket, she pulled it out to see a message from Odette:

**Odette Malone:** Agent Bishop just arrived.

**Ziva David:** Alone?

**Odette Malone: **It appears to be so.

**Ziva David:** Humor her. Tell me what she wants.

**Odette Malone: **I'll call you.

Ziva sighed with relief. She knew Odette would not betray her, but she hoped that for the younger agent's sake, Agent Bishop wouldn't get herself caught up in this mess.

Ziva knew the team had found the little girl's father, which meant it likely would only be a short time before they located Morgan. She prayed they would not give up on this case a second time. The girl's father, Ben, was a marine, which meant NCIS had jurisdiction for certain this time around.

A short while passed before Ziva's phone buzzed again with a message from Odette:

**Odette Malone: **Call me when you're alone.

Ziva chuckled at this— She was almost always alone these days. She quickly put in Odette's number and listened to the purr of the dial tone.

"I told you she reminded me of you," Odette's voice sounded through the speaker. "She told me she wanted to read the letter from the woman's mother to her captor once they located him."

Ziva smiled. If their paths had crossed at a better time, she might have liked to get to know Agent Bishop. "Is that so?" she answered.

"They have a name, but Agent Bishop said all former addresses and known haunts were dead ends."

"I swore to myself when I turned over the case that I would make that man pay for what he did."

"I can give you all the information I have, but you must be careful, Ms. David," Odette responded. "You're not just fighting for yourself anymore— You have a daughter to think of as well."

"My little girl will have the life she was always meant to lead, I am certain of it. I know that Tony will not hold her back," she paused, smiling. "And I know that he is intelligent enough to keep her out of harm's way. He will protect our Tali."

"I'm not telling you to drop the case, I'm just reminding you of the consequences that could arise."

"I know. Thank you, Odette."

"Of course, dear! Now, you take care of yourself. Call me if you need anything," the call cut off and Ziva was left standing in the shadows of the alley.

Alone, yet again.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: While the details in this passage are of my own creation, I do not own these lovely characters. All rights to the characters and anything else you recognize from your TV screen go to the writers and production team of NCIS.

**Chapter 3**

As much as she admired Agent Bishop's courage in challenging the criminal, Ziva knew she needed to get her journal back before the team located Morgan Burke and her captor. Ziva had promised the young woman's mother that she would pass on her letter to the man who had held her daughter hostage for so many years. That letter resided in the back of the notebook in which she kept her notes from Morgan's case.

She knew the journal would either be at NCIS, at Gibbs' home, or with Agent Bishop. She also knew that it would be far too risky to go back to the Navy Yard, especially not in broad daylight. She didn't have the resources or the time to track down the younger agent, unless she showed up at Ziva's doorstep that evening. Given the circumstances and what Odette had said to her about Agent Bishop, the prospect of her making an appearance was more than likely.

She decided that Gibbs' house would be the safest place to search, especially at this hour, when all the agents should have been at work.

Ziva left a message informing Odette of her intentions and she set off in the direction of Gibbs' house. Her office was only about a 5-minute drive from his place, so she figured she could make it walking within half an hour. If she played it safe, sticking to back roads and alleyways, it could take her much longer. She hurried down the street, ducking behind someone's house or into an alley whenever a passerby drew near.

After nearly 45 minutes of travel, Ziva turned onto the street bordering Gibbs' house. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw there was no vehicle in the driveway. Gibbs always left his front door unlocked, as co-workers and friends alike were often making themselves at home. He would never admit it, but even Gibbs enjoyed company once in a while.

She checked her surroundings quickly, making sure nobody was watching as she jogged up the front steps of her former boss' house. _I am most definitely breaking and entering right now,_ Ziva thought to herself as she turned the knob on the door and it swung open, granting her entry. _Calm yourself, David, _she thought as she shut the door behind her. _It's not like you've never snuck into Gibbs' house before!_

She looked around, re-familiarizing herself with a place that had once been like another home to her. It had been nearly six years since she had set foot in this house, or seen any of her former co-workers. She had spoken with Tony briefly in Cairo following the attack on her father's house, but all other contact with him had been minimal. For the safety of her family, she rarely knew their location. Cairo had been the last time she held her little Tali.

She snapped out of her thoughts and addressed the task at hand: find her journal. She scanned the area by the kitchen before stepping into the living room. She saw her notebook laying on the coffee table next to today's newspaper and a pair of what she assumed were Gibbs' reading glasses. They were black and chunky, not quite his style, but maybe he had changed his preferences in the past several years. She picked the journal up and quickly skimmed through it, making sure it was the right one. Her eyes glossed over the paragraphs about Somalia, but came to rest when the pages about Morgan's case began. She quickly shoved it in her bag and headed towards the door.

Suddenly, a car door slammed. She froze at the noise, her eyes frantically looking around. It was too early for Gibbs to be coming home from work, but she couldn't risk anyone catching her here. She darted through the door to the basement and dashed down, ducking around another of Gibbs' wooden creations. She crouched in the shadows beneath the steps, barely breathing.

She heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps above, heeled shoes clicking across the hardwood floors.

"Thank goodness Gibbs always leaves his door unlocked," it was a woman's voice. In her many years of knowing Agent Gibbs, the only person who usually showed up at his doorstep unannounced was Fornell, and this woman was certainly not him. "Now where did I put my glasses?"

The unknown woman puzzled Ziva, but she remained silent and unmoving nonetheless.

"A-ha!" the woman's voice sounded again, triumphantly this time. "I knew I had left them here!" Soon, Ziva heard the footsteps retreating, followed by the sound of the front door and then a car starting. Ziva waited patiently until she was sure the woman was gone. She breathed a sigh of relief, exhaling slowly as she heard the car pull away. She carefully removed herself from her hiding place under the stairs before taking the book out once again. She flipped to the back and hastily tore out the letter she had copied years earlier from Morgan's mother.

She listened again, making sure she wouldn't be surprised by another guest upstairs.

The house was silent.

Ziva quickly made her way back up the stairs. She set the notebook carefully down where she found it, noting the absence of reading glasses on the table. She hoped whoever it was wasn't looking for her journal too. The woman may not necessarily have been from NCIS. A friend of Gibbs', perhaps. _Or more than a friend... _she thought to herself. Gibbs didn't seem like the type to have a woman over with a case this demanding, but one could never be certain of what went on in the mind of the famous Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

She exited Gibbs' house out the back, chuckling to herself, the freshly torn letter folded neatly in her bag.

Mission accomplished.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: While the details in this passage are of my own creation, I do not own these lovely characters. All rights to the characters and anything else you recognize from your TV screen go to the writers and production team of NCIS.

**Chapter 4**

Immediately when Ziva returned to her office, shortly after nightfall, she noticed Odette beckoning her urgently from a window. Ziva turned and headed toward the back door of her friend's house. Odette quickly ushered her inside, shutting the door behind them.

"They found Morgan Burke. Agent Bishop called. She's in the hospital being treated for her injuries. Sounds like the two of them had a close call tonight."

"Do we have a name?" Ziva asked.

"Robert Hill—"

Ziva cut her off, "Where can I find him?"

"He's had a heart attack. He—"

"Please don't tell me he's dead!"

"No, if you would let me finish, dear! He is also in the hospital—"

"Thank you, Odette," Ziva gave her a quick hug. "I have unfinished business with that man."

With that, she turned and disappeared into the night.

A short while later, when she arrived at the hospital, the woman at the front desk stopped her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm here to visit a patient."

"Name?"

"Robert Hill."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but Mr. Hill is currently under federal investigation. His room is on lockdown for the time being."

"I'm affiliated with NCIS. I worked the case of Morgan Burke when she was first taken prisoner ten years ago. I just have some questions for our suspect," she flashed her ID in a way she hoped would be convincing enough for the woman not to ask any questions about the legality of her "interview".

"My apologies," she shuffled around the desk. "Mr. Hill's room is right this way," the woman from the front desk led Ziva down the hallway and punched in a code to grant access to the room. "Try not to be too long, please. He's still recovering from his cardiac episode."

"Don't worry, I intend on keeping this visit brief." Ziva answered, gently closing the door behind her.

She took in the sight of the man laying in the bed it front of her. He was cuffed to the bad, beaten and battered from the agents' rescue mission. Better yet, he was awake. She strode briskly to his bedside, making eye contact the whole eight feet.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm your worst enemy, starting now," she answered, a dangerous glint in her eye.

"Try me."

She slammed her palm down on the table beside his bed. He flinched at the sound, jerking against his restraints.

"Do I have your attention now?" He nodded, the color ebbing from his face. "You held Morgan Burke captive for almost ten years, and for what? To torture her and her daughter, who now hardly speaks and is barely literate thanks to you? To take away their happiness? Why not just kill them instead of putting them through that for so many years?"

No response.

"I hope you're happy. And I'll have you know that they have been reunited as a family. They deserve much better. You, however, deserve a fate worse than death," she drew the note out of her bag and unfolded it. "This is a letter from Morgan's mother. I made a promise to her when I first took this case that I would make whoever did this to her daughter regret the day they were born."

Ziva took a deep breath, skimming over the words she was about to read.

"_To whom it may concern,_

_My daughter's name is Morgan Elaine Burke. She is nineteen years old today. You took her from us when she was only eighteen, and this is the first birthday I've had to spend without my baby girl. All thanks to you. You have ripped every piece of joy from the hearts of her family. All I have left of my daughter are the memories, which no longer bring me happiness. The only thing left for me is despair. She had a prosperous life ahead of her. She is a good kid. Always excelling in school, befriended by many, loved by all who know her. I am holding on to the sliver of hope that my daughter is still out there, somewhere. When the case is solved, you will not only have the punishment of the law against you, but the fury of a once-grieving mother, out for revenge. You will not go free. You shall receive the same fear you have elicited upon my daughter when you are presented to me. Start watching your back now. A mother's love is stronger than any threat against her. Remember this always._

_Anne Louise Burke"_

Ziva finished reading and met his gaze, hers unwavering.

"Now do you see the harm you have done? Not only to Morgan Burke and her daughter, but to her family as well. Anne passed away six years ago of a heart attack and was unable to fulfill her commitment, so that's what I'm here to do."

Still no response. He stared at her with disgust in his glare.

"Remember when I said I was your worst nightmare?"

He swallowed hard, nodding tentatively.

"Don't make me prove it. You are the scum of the earth," she leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "I will haunt your dreams, Robert Hill. Watch your back," Ziva left the unfolded letter on the table and left the room, closing the door behind her.

She thanked the woman at the front desk for her time and her assistance with the investigation and left the hospital in a rush. She needed to get home before any other agents showed up to question Robert Hill. She was most nervous for Agent Bishop. She worried the younger agent would feel cheated by the fact that she had already read the letter to Morgan's captor.

When she arrived back at her office, she unlocked the door and quickly scribbled a note. She knew Agent Bishop would come looking for her once she realized that Ziva had been the one to confront Robert Hill. She needed to make sure Agent Bishop would not betray her. She laid the note on her desk and folded her scarf on top of it. That way, the younger agent would only find it if she were truly looking. For the second time that night, she disappeared into the darkness.

"_Eleanor Bishop,_

_For the safety of my family,_

_please keep my secret."_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: While the new storyline in this passage is of my own creation, I do not own these lovely characters. All rights to the characters and anything else you recognize from your TV screen go to the writers and production team of NCIS. In this chapter, you will find direct quotes and scene material from past episodes of NCIS. (11x02: "Past, Present, and Future" and flashbacks from 17x10 "The North Pole") Again, I don't own them. I am simply trying to create a completed storyline around the life of this wonderful character.

**Chapter 5**

9 April 2019 —

***New Message***

Ziva unlocked her phone and checked her voicemail.

"Ziva, it's Odette," her voice was scratchy through the phone. "Eleanor was at your office again today. She took that long-gone plant out with her. I'd been meaning to take care of that, but when the agents started popping up all the time, I thought it was best to stick to my story about not disturbing your belongings. I think Eleanor wants to restore some life in there, maybe to preserve your legacy. Anyways, I just thought you should know. Hope you've been well— drop in for a visit sometime, dear!" The line clicked off.

Ziva smiled half-heartedly. She was appreciative of Odette trying to cover for her and she admired Agent Bishop's determination, but she was worried about how attached the younger agent was becoming. The more dedicated Agent Bishop became to Ziva's life, the more danger it posed for both of them.

There was a woman following her, getting closer every day. It was a miracle she hadn't found Ziva's hidden office yet. The moment she did, the lives of Odette, Agent Bishop, and anyone who came near it would be endangered.

The woman's name was Sahar.

She was the one who had ordered Trent Kort to bomb her deceased father's home, resulting in the death of Kort and the near-miss on the lives of Ziva and her daughter, Tali.

Sahar was dangerous. She had lived in a prison camp with Ziva's half-brother, Ari Haswari for many years. The two had grown close. When Ari killed Caitlin Todd in 2005, his next target had been Gibbs. In order to prove her loyalty to NCIS, Ziva had shot and killed her brother in Gibbs' basement to save his life. Sahar had had Ziva's name on a target ever since. When she got out of the prison camp in 2013, she had set off after Ziva.

That was when she first left NCIS. She thought back to that night at the airport in Tel Aviv. Tony had taken temporary leave from the agency to find her, but his visit was short-lived. She had wanted him desperately to stay, but she knew it was not in his best interest to remain in Israel with her. She was afraid that, if Sahar succeeded in locating those close to Ziva, she may come after them as well. She could not bear to put Tony's life in danger like that, no matter how much her heart ached to have him with her.

The precious few days they had spent together in her home country had almost made her change her mind. They had only just begun to work out their conflicting feelings for one other when Ziva left the agency in 2013. They had become each other's source of comfort and emotional support while they were searching for Bodnar in Berlin. Then, outside of Gibbs' cabin, she had started to open her heart to him. When she thought about the complications that could potentially arise in the future, she told him she did not want to mess it up.

His response had been, "_Nothing's awkward between friends, right?_" Then, he had kissed her on the forehead and walked away, leaving her standing alone to muddle in her thoughts.

She had never quite understood his perception of her emotions, but in that moment she hadn't the slightest idea of what was going through his mind. Was he just being oblivious to the fact that she was finally ready to share her feelings, or was that his way of telling her he wasn't interested?

Ziva knew now, of course, what he meant. Six years ago, he was still as confusing as ever. It wasn't until he managed to track her down in Israel that she understood him and his feelings for her fully.

And yet, she still sent him home that night on the tarmac in Tel Aviv.

"_It's not too late,_" Tony said from the memory in the back of her mind. "_Come back to D.C. with me._"

"_You and I both know that is not possible,_" she answered.

He looked at her for what seemed like an eternity.

"_Tony_," she paused, collecting her thoughts. "_You are so…_"

"_Funny? Handsome? What?_" he said jokingly, trying to make the atmosphere lighter.

She exhaled quietly, "_Loved_." She glanced up at his eyes, her own welling up with tears.

He smiled, resting his hand on her cheek. She saw his gaze break from her eyes and drift to her lips. She almost pulled back, knowing that if she allowed this to happen, she would never truly recover from their time together. Tony leaned down and captured her lips in his own. The first tears spilled from her eyes, realizing how hard this farewell was becoming. His hands moved to her hair as he deepened the kiss.

When he finally broke away, Ziva had tears streaming down her cheeks, but a smile on her face. She stepped back, allowing him to release his embrace. He seemed as though he wanted to say something meaningful to acknowledge what had passed between them in the moments they shared together in Tel Aviv, but he backed away slowly.

"Hardest one-eighty of my life," his voice broke as he uttered the last phrase, turning towards the plane that was to take him back home. She watched him go, her heart aching with every step he took. As he climbed the steps to the plane, he glanced back at her, lifting his hand in a wave.

He had kissed her goodbye and returned to America. Back to his family, his job... He did not belong in Israel with her.

She regretted this decision almost as soon as she made it but she knew she could not have asked him to stay.

Only a few weeks later, Ziva had discovered that she was pregnant and she knew instantly that the child was Tony's. She made a promise to herself to keep her little family safe until she could reunite with her love. She named the child Tali, after her little sister, and told her stories about the many adventures of Ima and Abba. She vowed never to let Tali forget who her father was, even though they had never met face-to-face.

Two years later, when her father's house burned down in the mortar attack, she knew she had to get her daughter to safety. Ziva left her with the only person close to her whom she was certain she could trust: Adam Eshel. He had been there in support of her when her father passed. She had no living family and Adam was as close to a friend as she had here in Israel. She sent Tali away with Adam, tears in her eyes as she handed over the child that had brought so much joy and hope into her life.

Ziva did not know if she would ever see her daughter again, but she knew that it would be in vain if she went on the run with her daughter. They would be caught eventually and she did not want to picture the horrible things her captors could do.

Soon after, Ziva received a letter from Adam informing her that Orli had taken Tali to America to stay with her father. Tony had left NCIS shortly after, devoting all his available time to caring for the daughter he shared with the woman he left behind.

Ziva smiled as she read the letter, knowing that her sweet Tali would be in protective, caring hands.

Despite this, she could not help but worry for what would happen if Sahar ever found out. Ziva was a dangerous woman, but she feared Sahar was clever. She had not used her fighting tactics in several years, but she was gaining the foreboding feeling that, the closer she got to her past life, the more targets Sahar would acquire.


End file.
